Cordlife faces one-year suspension for cord blood banking service

The suspension requires the company to ensure the safety and quality of its cord blood units.

Cordlife Group Limited’s cord blood banking service is facing a suspension of one year after authorities found lapses in its operations in a recent audit.

Should the suspension be proceeded with, Cordlife said it will not be allowed to carry out any cord blood banking activities for new cord blood units (CBU) during the suspension period. It will be required to maintain the safety and quality of existing stored CBUs and facilitate retrievals for transplant or to another cord blood bank.

Cordlife will only be allowed to release stored CBUs for clinical use after a suitably qualified haematologist has assessed that it is fit for the intended clinical use.

The suspension came following adverse findings from MOH’s follow-up audit of Cordlife’s operations conducted this year, after the calibrated resumption of operations in September 2024.

Cordlife said it has 14 days to submit its written representations.

Health authorities also directed Cordlife to replace its current clinical governance officer, review all laboratory records of the approximately 160 CBUs collected since the resumption of its cord blood banking services in January 2025.

The company was also told to “identify and resolve any deviations from Cordlife’s established policies. Cordlife must also inform clients if their CBUs have been affected, and offer counselling by a haematologist on the implications on potential clinical uses of the CBU.”